Observing through the Mask
by Shadowdragon1317
Summary: Arthur has known for a long time, but doesn't quite know how to approach Merlin about it. So the king kept quiet. But when a sudden loss at Camelot's heart shakes Merlin into extreme instability, Arthur must help Merlin find his sanity, otherwise, Morgana will find a way back into Camelot.
1. Prologue: Observations

**This idea for a story suddenly came to me by my friend's notion that Arthur's intelligence may be more than meets the eye:)**

**Hopefully, it's good:)**

_Take in all you can in a glance, for who knows what mask the face you see will be wearing next._

_Arthur has lived and stood by this rule whether in diplomacy or badgering old foes at sword-point. Hunting was the most prominent example when observation and concentration truly came into heart. When the prey stood before the predator, it's rather live or die. A truly intelligent creature could fight, but the rational flee until the danger had passed overhead. Even still, bloodthirsty monsters stole beauty from their world and turned into malformed, inhuman contraptions of their own twisted desires._

_Men were no different. They were power hungry, snarling beasts that wore no claws or fangs to back up threats. Instead, they used both greed and gluttony to ensnare hapless victims in a spider-webbing trap that only the weaver find possible to escape from._

_This was why Arthur played the young, foolish king. The one who knew invincibility, but not fallibility. Truly, he was cautious before he made a move. The council members of his court knew not his true intelligence. Uther told him to make his smarts scarce, otherwise the council may trip Arthur and topple his reign as monarch of the realm into a figurehead controlled by foible laced elders. He could not let these unintelligent fools make rash decisions that cost Camelot the trust of her people. The chaos would have brought invaders from here to the Saxons. Arthur Pendragon was not one to be just a voice for corrupt men who he could not be rid of._

_So instead, Arthur made himself the puppeteer. The Court were his marionettes. And the entire kingdom a stage. But Arthur, like any great performer, never let his audience see him without his mask. So the young king never let himself put his trust into anything except his father, Morgana, and his immediate family._

_Arthur Pendragon had grown into this for over a decade. Nothing more than a body, soaking in plans and kingly nature for when it was his time to rule, not with heart but with mind._

_But Merlin toppled everything._

_The young, raven haired, gangly servant had caught him unawares, making the Arthur that Merlin saw, the true Arthur Pendragon. Ever since the servant had first saved his life, the long worn mask finally crumbled into dust. No longer a performer, but a piece in a role of the world that was much larger than himself. The other side to a coin. Emotions finally seemed to have taken root into his heart, creating the want for safety of his people even stronger than ever. His knights saw his true, caring king demeanor, (when not in battle or practice) a girl who once served his half-sister had stolen his heart, and a manservant who was sired in a rivalling kingdom had become his closest companion._

_His father was swearing revenge in the afterlife once he saw the reforms that Arthur had done once he had taken up the former king's throne. Guinevere, Elyan, Gwaine, Lancelot, the list dragged on about the common born that had become part of his new, growing family. The knights were his brothers, his comrades. Merlin even more so. His true, long lost brother it seemed._

_Merlin had always been there. He spoke up when Arthur had been misjudged or misguided. He stuck with the king when faced with certain death. He had listened to Arthur's most devastating dilemmas and did his best to connect and understand. Arthur trusted Merlin with secrets he swore to the grave, his mistakes, his arrogant tirades, and his deep, long standing grudge against the magical folk of Camelot. And Merlin wasn't a yes-man, he frequently called out his "prattish" nature when need arose. Arthur was eternally grateful because of this. Not only was the monarch presented with a trusted ally who'd never betray him, but a true friend who stuck with him til the very end, one Arthur would be happy to give his life for._

_Even still, Arthur knew that Merlin was harboring a secret. It wasn't hard to find when one knew to look._

_At first, Merlin's clumsy nature and general foolish act, Arthur admitted that it was convincing. It took several weeks to find out some holes in the story that Merlin wove. When Arthur had been fighting in Ealdor to help Merlin, the whirlwind that Will had supposedly created had started on Merlin's side, then drifted near Merlin's close village friend. When Arthur fought bandits, the branches of healthy, young trees suddenly broke off and disabled many of the attackers. Never one of Camelot's men. Merlin was always off somewhere when fighting started. Arthur knew he wasn't a coward. He knew that when Merlin first challenged the monarch's foolish and cruel acts to his first manservant. From then on, Arthur watched and observed, slipping into previous habits of watching councilmen._

_He noticed a pattern of events. Every time Merlin left to "take a night off for the tavern" as Gaius put it, the dangerous threat to Camelot or to Arthur himself had mysteriously vanished, or had been defeated. And each time Merlin returned, he was bedraggled, beaten, bruised, no doubt having to add another scar to the scores he already had. Arthur had been sympathetic to his friend when it came to that situation, but when Merlin looked completely unharmed, the impish and brotherly nature of Arthur drove him to the banter, the bickering, and even to the punishments._

_Merlin believes that Arthur doesn't know that every instance that magic was involved in an incident, Merlin looked about as ready to be sick. Better yet, disgusted at the cruelty of some sorcerers bent entirely on revenge, no matter how futile or misguided it be. Or when the sudden objects came flying onto his foes, and when a miracle needed to happen, it did._

_No doubt Merlin was raised harboring secrets that would've gotten him killed, but so was Arthur. Except Arthur learned not only to hide or keep them, but to snuff them out like a dog does a fox during one of his hunts._

_But the final confirmation had been when Uther had died, and Arthur was swept away on an endless and seemingly infinite cycle of grief. Arthur came out of the final resting place of his father to see the big eared manservant sitting outside the door, never far from his master. Arthur had looked into the eyes of his servant, behind the mask and the streaming lies and found his true emotions. The two most prominent, sympathy and grief equal to the king's, but also an emotion that kings were quite familiar with. Especially after long years of war torn families and vacant eyes searching for a knight whose voice was lost in a sea of blood. Oh yes, Arthur felt that constant companion of emotion leeching off of him like a parasite._

_Guilt._

_It was etched and laced through every part of Merlin, the hunched shoulders and his scuffing feet. Yet, the only one that Arthur knew completely was the sadness in his eyes. Arthur realized then and there that the old man called Dragoon had been yet another mask for Merlin. Merlin was Dragoon, which led to the next realization._

_Merlin was a sorcerer._

**Hopefully this wasn't your normal "Arthur knows" story. I hope this was okay:)**

**Tell me what you think!:)**

**Review Question: What do you think is going to happen next chapter?**

**Dragon Out!**


	2. The One Who Always Knew

**I'm hoping that this chapter is decent. I am proud to do this without a beta and hope you all enjoy it! AND THANK YOU TO THE REVIEWERS FOLLOWERS AND FAVORITES!:) **

**Seriously, it makes me feel honored that so many people like this story! Thank you again.**

**Onward my friends!**

_Anger wasn't his first reaction to the realization. Nor was hurt (that came a bit later). It was understanding._

_With all the punishments about sorcery: the burnings, beheadings, drownings, and and even just plain stabbing them through with a pointed blade, the king wasn't surprised that this secret remained that way. Burdens such as those you can't help are the heaviest crosses to bear. That was when the king made the connection between himself and his servant. Being a ruler was much like being a warlock._

_Kings were born into it. They had not a choice to assume the throne when their father died. Many of them hid their true selves behind a mask. Both have to work from the shadows. No real faces or emotions, just trying to stay alive to protect, to serve their people until their duty killed them. The world can be cruel, prejudice becoming more common and people trying to encourage that they were worth more than everybody else. False lies can be spread by those wishing to gain power, like snakes luring mice into their scaly graves. Yet both Kings and Warlocks persevere, rising above the hurt and despair. A phoenix rising from the ashes. _

_The people would still kill them. It was a shame, but he knew it to be true. Merlin knew it all too well whenever a remark over the evils of sorcery was even faintly mentioned. The hurt hidden, and the desire to tell himself that he wasn't a monster. But he had to remain silent. Otherwise, the secret he kept since birth would result in his ultimate death. _

_Arthur still heard the cruel words he had spoken to Merlin when his emotions controlled his actions. He hated them, wished for them to dissipate into smoke. To disappear forever. But Arthur couldn't take them back, and all he could do was practice the apology he's been preparing for years._

I'm sorry. I didn't know the burden you carried, and I was too concerned with myself to notice how they affected you. You are not a monster Merlin. You've always been, at heart, the most loyal man anyone should have the pleasure of knowing.

_Can words that have been stinging for years ever be removed completely? No, they rung like bells and dulled to an ache that one barely noticed, but still felt every passing moment. The monarch knew that he needed to talk to his manservant. He wanted to now, but he knew that Merlin, himself, and Gaius were preparing for a routine trip to the outlying villages to the East, near the sea._

_Maybe on the way, Arthur can speak to Merlin about his magic. It shouldn't be too difficult. __Arthur knew that at least one other person knew Merlin's secret. His mother knew, of course. If a mother didn't know her own son could possess this type of powerful gift, then she didn't know him at all. But as the thought of Hunith passed through his mind, he remembered that Gaius was her older brother. _

_Then at the very least, Gaius wouldn't be angry. but the raised eyebrow treatment may still be in store for them both. Shivers ran down Arthur's spine as he thought about it. Like children, both Merlin and Arthur were afraid of the physician. He had reprimanded them both for stupid mistakes. And if this went wrong, both servant and king would end up with an annoyed Gaius for a week or two._

_It made Arthur smile. Gaius cared for Arthur's problems in a way Uther never did. Arthur still loved his father, and mourned him every day. But Gaius had that emotional connection that the young King had craved at childhood. _

_Standing from his chair, Arthur told a nearby guard to tell Merlin to prepare for the trip. They leave in an hour. __The young man nodded, but Arthur could barely tell due to the awkward helmet blocking most of his face. Hearing the oaken door close, Arthur was left pondering about how his trading cities had been doing. The harvest had been very kind and fruitful, leaving much food to be traded between other kingdoms. _

_In return, the wealth of Camelot grew immensely. Many families walked around with full bellies, and the children had toys to play with, clothes instead of rags, and no constant rumbling tummies to be accustomed to. Smiling faces and festivities and feasts were more common. Gwaine even said that The Rising Sun had lowered their ale fines. __That was also the day that the owners restrained the knight to only having a few tankards, as they wanted to see some new customers walking in their door. _

_The knight then started to go to every tavern in Camelot and take "samples" of everything. That's why Gwaine wasn't coming on Arthur's trip, he was recovering from a new constant companion called hangover. Percival was staying behind to take care of him, and to make sure he doesn't die of alcohol poisoning as soon as the sky stops spinning._

_The rest of them were going, Leon, Elyan, and Mordred._

Mordred...

_The tiny young boy with the triskele drawn over his chest was long dead. His cold blue eyes reflected frost, but they still held a sliver of that innocence that he held since he was that scared child hiding in the dungeons. But Mordred could still be corrupted, especially by Morgana. The boy, when still a Druid, had forged a bond with Morgana that was alike to Arthur's own with Merlin. Could it be that they felt drawn to protect one another like siblings? Or something more?_

_Perhaps, but Arthur kept the young boy under his wing. Mordred is a great friend. A fair and just knight. Merlin just needs help seeing it. Maybe because of the past mistakes Mordred has turned the young manservant against Mordred. Even Arthur caught the mistrustful gaze that darkened whenever the druid knight had come into proximity of the king. And when Merlin is sent away, the monarch sees the flash of hurt behind the blue icy eyes. _

_Arthur has heard from the other knights that Mordred speaks fondly of the servant. Like a younger brother who wishes to be just like their older. Arthur always told Mordred that Merlin didn't mean a thing he said, and clasped the young boy on the shoulder. _

_Arthur thought maybe Gaius can explain the full animosity behind Merlin's rage, and perhaps be a balm to help Merlin rid himself of that hate. Gaius always knew a solution, whether whimsical or just plain everyday situations. He'd just raise his eyebrow and research until the only remedy is found. The kingdom would be lost without the old physician. _

_Merlin and Arthur cared for him too much._

**Was this a good chapter? I tried to make Merlin's grudge against Mordred as something Arthur hopes to fix. Hope you R&R to see what you liked!**

**Review Question: Do you think that something is foreshadowed here?**

**Before I go, I just want to tell you that I wrote a new story called The Prince of Darkness. I would be grateful if you guys would read it, and tell me if it is good.**

**Dragon Out!**


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